US3072833A

US3072833A - Apparatus for electronic programming of three channel machine tool automatic controltape

Info

Publication number: US3072833A
Application number: US800684A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kerr Kingdon; Swensson Malte
Original assignee: SEECO Inc
Current assignee: SEECO Inc
Priority date: 1959-03-20
Filing date: 1959-03-20
Publication date: 1963-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1980-01-08

Description

Jan. 8, 1963 K..KERR E'rAL 3 072-83 APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING OF THREE 3 ITNNEL MACHINE TCCL AUTOMATIC CONTROL TAPE Filed March 20',

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS lfm/@DON [fe-RR MALTE JWEA/sso/v BY i E Z Arm/wr Jan 8 1963 K, KERR ETA 3 72 APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PROGIIRAMMING OF THREE o 833 CHANNEL MACHINE TOOL AUTOMATIC CONTROL TAPE Flled March 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS K/NGoo/v Kenn ML rs fws/vsso/v BY Afro/wey Qnwk llllllllllllllill Jan. 8, 1963 K. KERR ETAL APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING OF THRE CHANNEL MACHINE TOOL AUTOMATIC CONTROL TAPE Filed March 20. 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENoRs NGoo/v KELQR MAL TE Jw/vsso/v ArmR/VEY `Iam. 8, 1963 K. KERR r-:TAL F3072,833

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING OF THRE CHANNEL MACHINE TOOL AUTOMATIC CONTROL TAPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1959 INVENTOR. [0A/@00N KE'RR Y ML75 J'wE/vsso/v Jan. 8, 1963 ETAL 3,072,833

K. KERR APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMING OF' THREE CHANNEL MACHINE TOOL AUTOMATIC CONTROL TAPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 20, 1959 INVENTORS ffm/@DON KEER MALTE J'wEA/sso/v rro/e/VEY Unite, States atent I This invention relates in general to automatic controls for machine tools, and in particular to an automatic machining system by which parts may be'fabricated from a magnetic tape recording of machining operations performed by an operator on a prototype part. More specifically, the invention is Vdeveloped around the primary concept of developing a programming tape as the direct responsetothe machining ofV a prototype part on a machine tool equipped with the apparatus of the invention, the prototype machining being performed by the workman who operates the machine tool in a progressive operation on three axes, the movements on the three axes being recorded on three corresponding channels on a magnetic tape as the direct output of the machine as it is thus incrementally operated. Two manual control systems are provided. In the use of one of them, for developing the more simple geometrical shapes, the Workman operates the machine tool in a step by step incremental operation, in increments of .001 inch, numerically, by reference to drawings or other data. t s f For developing shapes of more complexconfiguration, such as irregular curves or other configurations not subject to being represented by simple mathematical data, an alternative manual control, adapted -for template-following operation, is provided.

An object of this invention is to provide, by electromechanical means, a system from which close tolerance parts may be fabricated by a semi-skilled operator, inv a' fractionof the time required by a skilled operator and at a fraction of thecost of existingautomatic equipment now available.

Another object of this invention is to provide a systemy vthat can be combined with a used machine t-ool having backlash from former service and which will compensate for such backlash so as to still meet the foregoing tolerance requirements. L t

Furthermore, our invention aimsto eliminate the need for an expensive computer and highly skilled man-power to pre-program the machine operations as now required in presently available automatic equipment, utilizing only Vthe services of a skilled machine tool operator who can gories, namely (a) a prototype machining operation (nu-V v merically actuated for ordinary applications) and (b) automatic reproduction of facsimilies` of the prototype, utilizing a-magnetic recording of the prototype operation.

By use of potentiometer type controls the operator is able to numerically control or velocity-control the cutting operation in such a manner as to machine a part to prescribed dimensions and contours.` A lightednumerical indicator is provided to accuratelyindicate tothe operator the distance traversedby the cutter with respect` to the part. Other controls such as'multiturn potentiometer anda sine-cosine potentiometer are provided to perform\ sloping cuts and radii. For remote indicationof slope and radius dimensions, thel longitudinal travel offset and the traverse offset readings are used as a check. The operator controls the power through servoamplifiers by means of the above controls. In machiningv a prototype part, the operatorv activatesy a magnetic4 tape recorder which records pulses received from the machine representing the dimensional distances on three axes, traversed by the cutter in making the part.

By switching the magnetic tape recorder to play back, the pulses previously recorded `are used to progressively position the cut-ter throughan electronic computer and digital position servo, resulting in anfexact replica of the prototype part. Hence it will be Seen that the magnetic tape is used to remember what the operator did in making the prototype part.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in t ing integrator portion of the system; t

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the tracking amplifiercomputer portion of the system;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the position indicator unit of the system; r Y

FIG.,7 is ar front elevational view of the same;

iFIG. 8 is a plan view of the same;

FIG. 9 is a side view, broken away and partially in section, of the pulse counting vrtransducer unit of the system;

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View thereof in a radial plane; f

- FIG. l1 is an end view ofthe same; f

FIG. l2 is a front view of the automatic phasing switch of the system, for directional control;

lFlG. 13 is a side view of the same; and

FIG. 14k is'a schematic diagram of the .transducer-re- General Description of. System? g Basically, the invention provides mechanism for controlled movement of a machine tool bedindicated in perspective block diagram at Ain FIG. .1. Movements on X, Y and Z axes are imparted to bed A by three servomotors, of which one is indicated at B. rAssuming for the purpose of illustration that 'the X axis representsthe axis of longitudinal movement of the bed, that the VY y.axis represents the lateral movement, of the bed-in acominon horizontal plane of X andY axes, and4 that the Z axis represents vertical movements of the bed, the 'servomotor B may be regarded las the means for moving the bed on its longitudinal or X axis. To avoid unnecessary complexeV ity and resul-tant confusion in the illustration and description of the invention, they are restricted to the ,components required for effecting and controlling movements on one axis, and it will be understood that mostV of the components (With the exception of the machine bed A,

servo amplier 7 t 3 and computer unit C which in turn operates selectively under the control of either of the two primary control units D and E. Control unit D is a manual control unit which is utilized by the machinist in machining the original protototype of an article to be produced, following directional data such as blueprints, numerical specications, or (for non-geometric or complex geometric shapes) a template or pattern. Control unit E is an automatic control unit which is utilized to record and permanently store on magnetic tape, electric position and direction indicating pulses during machining of the prototype, and

which is later employed to direct the automatic reproduction operations when facsimiles of the prototype are being automatically produced by the system. The directional control for such reproduction operations come from a series of control tracks on the magnetic tape or other recording medium, such control tracks comprising primarily the X, Y and Z axis record tracks produced by recording the movements of the machine bed respectively on its X, Y and Z axes during the machining of the prototype.

The system further includes a position and direction sensing and signal transmitting feedback unit F which generates and transmits a position and direction indicating signa-l simultaneously to a numerical position indicator readout unit G and to the servo amplifier computer unit C. The indicator unit G constantly indicates to the machine operator (during the prototype machining operation) the exact position of the bed A in relation to a reference point, in increments of .001 inch. Simultaneously, the servo-amplifier unit C will accept and transmit to the tape recorder E, the same signals that are actuating the indicator unit-G. There are three of the indicators G, one for each axis, so that the bed position is simultaneously indicated in three dimensions. Correspondingly, there are three of the computer units C for controlling movements on the respective axes.

In the automat-ic machining of facsimiles, magnetic tape recorder 7 is activated to play back state, transmitting the recorded signals from its three tracks to the three respective servo amplifier computing units C, from which pulses corresponding to such signals will be transmitted, through triplicate connections schematically indicated at 17, to the servo motor units B for effecting the movements of the bed A. During this operation, velocity control is effected through generaors H (of which there are three, one for each of the three axes) these generators transmitting velocity signals through con- Y nections indicated schematically at 18 in FIG. 1, to the respective servo amplier computer units C. Any known type of velocity signal generator can be utilized, such as for example a tachometer generator. 'Ihese velocity signals are translated by the servo-computer units into visual indications of said velocity in inches per minute, upon .respective indicators -I of a meter type.

Detailed Description- Servo Amplifier Unit C Referring now to FIG. 2, wherein the servo amplifier computer unit C is shown more in detail though still in schematic diagram, by the use of potentiometer type controls in manual control unit D (hereinafter described in detail) the operator is able to velocity control the cutting operation in such a manner as to machine a part to prescribed dimensions, being guided by the numerical indicator G which shows him exactly the distance (in increments of .001 inch) that has been traversed by the cutter with respect to the prototype part at any particular instant of prototype machining operation. The control directions coming from unit D at a low voltage are fed through connections 19 into a power amplilier 20 which has an output of sutlicient power, transmitted through connections 21 to a respective servo motor unit B, to actuate the latter.

As each step of machining operation takes place, the :resultant change in position of the machine bed A is read by the transducer F which generates position signalling pulses corresponding to each .001 inch of bed movement and transmits these signals through the

transmitting lines

22, 22 and 22 to the indicator G and to the ampliiier-computer unit C respectively.

The amplifier computer unit C receives the position pulses from transducer F at a mixing point 24 from which the pulses are transmitted in parallel to hip-flops 25 and 25' respectively. Simultaneously, direction signals are transmitted from transducer F through the same signal path through mixing point Z4 to the ilip-liops 25 and 25'. These direction signals actually constitute characteristics of the position pulses themselves, varying in accordance withv the direction of movement of the machine bed. Thus, for a forward movement, a pulse of positive value will be transmitted whereas for the opposite or reverse movement of the bed, a pulse of negative value will be transmitted andY the positive or negative characteristic of the pulse constitutes a direction signal. It also may be noted at this point, without going into detail, that the directional characteristic of the pulse is imparted to it by the phase switch shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 and that the pulses themselves are generated by a commutator or pulse generator which is shown in detail in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, and utilizes the principle of interruption of a light beam trained upon a plurality of photocells, and that both the phasing switch'and the commutator are components of the movement and direct-ion sensing transducer ndicated generally at F.

The Hip-

flops

25 and 25 operate as directional transmitters, the unit 25 transmitting the positive characteristic pulses and the unit 25' transmitting the negative characteristic pulses to a storing integrator '26.

Before proceeding further with the description of the computer unit C it may be noted that the flip-flops Z5 and 25' and the storing integrator 26 are utilized only during the facsimile reproduction, and respond to the reproduction signals transmitted by play-back operation of the tape recorder unit E through an ampliiier 27 to the mixing point 24, under the restraining control of position indicating control signals coming from the bed movement sensing transducer F. These latter signals are operative to cancel out the reproduction signals transmitted from tape recorder unit E after the system has responded to these reproduction signals in moving the bed A corresponding increments of movement. That is to say, as the bed A completes an increment of movement corresponding to a particular reproduction signal pulse coming from tape recorder unit E, that reproduction signal pulse will be nulled or cancelled out by a pulse generated and transmitted by the transducer F as the result of the increment of bed movement that has thus been completed, and the system is designed to stop the transmission of power signals -to the servomotor whenever all stored reproduction pulses stored in integrator 26 have been cancelled out, and to await directions from further reproduction pulses coming from the tape recorder E.

`From the storage integrator 26, the facsimile reproduction pulses are transmitted on to an amplifier 28 which, during facsimile reproduction, functions merely as a voltage amplifier and transmits the amplified signal on to a modulator 29, from which the reproduced pulses are transmitted on to the power amplifier 20, and utilized therein in controlling the generator of power signals for operating servomotor B. During a contour tracking operation, amplifier 28 is adjusted to become a differentiating computer or tracking amplifier (FIG. 5) as will be explained hereinafer. The integrator 26 has an output in the form of a D.C. voltage, the level of which varies in accordance with the number of pulses that have been stored in the integrator, and this output voltage passes on through the voltage amplier V28 to the modulator 29 as a voltage level signal. It may also be noted at this point that the integrator 26 provides a means for transforming operation, is a single voltage value'hving analog characteristics. The modulator 29 operates as a valve which is constantly subjected to an AC. reference voltage but blocks the transmission of that voltage on to kthe servomotor portion of the system except-when it is activated by theV D.C. signals coming from the integrator 26 through the ampliier 28.

Flip-flop unt--FIG. 3.--Referring now to FIG. 3 for a more detailed illustration of the flip-dop and immediately associated components, the output side of the tape recorder E is indicated at e, and its connections to amplifier 27, and from amplifier 27 to the mixing point 24 through an isolation network indicated generally at 30, a-re shown in conventional diagram. Also, the feedback connection from -bed movement sensing transducer F is indicated at 22". Y Direction of the triggering action upon dip-

flops

25 and 25 is accomplished through a pair of diode logic and pulse-forming networks indicated at 31 and 31 respectively. Triggering of either of these flipilops produces a square wave of fixed voltage height and tixed width in time. This iinite quantity 'of energy is constant, regardless of the trigger shape or amplitude and has the same polarity (directionsignal characteristic) las the triggering pulse. The square wave outputs of the ^flip-

flops

25 and 25 are clamped with respect to ground g (a selected intermediate reference voltage) by

diodes l

32 and 32. The outputs from the respective flip-flops are transmitted through a common parallel connection, indicated at 26 in FIG. 3, to the storing integrator which is shown in detail in FIG. 4.

Acceleration storing integrator-FIG. 4.--Referring now to FIG. 4, the acceleration .storing integrator is used to sum the energy lof the square waves coming from the Vdiode logic and pulse forming network of FIG. 3.

v.As energy can bereceived from the circuits of FIG. 3 `faster than the machine bed can be accelerated by the servomotors, the acceleration storage integrator stores this energy as a staircase voltage of the proper polarity until the machine can -increase its speed sufliciently to remove the stored voltage by one of opposite polarity derived from the pulses generated within the bed movement sensing transducer F and transmitted through the feed-backl line 22". When the apparatus is Voperating in one direction, a staircase voltage of positive polarity, indicated at `33, will be stored. Whenthe apparatus is operating in the Aopposite direction, a staircase voltage that is negative v (with respect to the selected reference voltage) isrstored,

as indicated at 33'. The acceleration integrator 26 is ofthe operational ampliiier type, and includes a chopper stabilizer 34 commonly utilized in the computer art, to compensate for dritt in the signal voltage. f

' Tracking amplifier-FIG. 5.-Referring now toY FIG. Y

5, the tracking ampliiier shown therein, lfunctions to combine the machine bed velocity signal delivered by the manual controller D with a synthetic position signal obtained by diiierentiating the velocity signal. This type of control is particularly eiective in aiding the operator to control the machine while tracking or Vfollowing a template or contour line on la drawing. While the main systern of automatic machining in the use of our apparatus is basically .a velocity controlled system, theV addition of the tracking .amplifier provides a position signal, superimposed upon the velocity signal, which makes it possible for the operator to position themachine cutting tool with respect to the part while the relationship of the cutter and part have motion corresponding to the velocity v commanded by the operator. Y

To be more explicit, this portion of the mechanisml provides for a vernier, `very high speed velocity control,

which appears to the operator as a position controlsuperimposed on the velocity control, such action being so rapid that it appears as ashift in cutting tool position with respect to the part. T his high speed action, or shift, is proportional to control handle position such that small shifts occur with small handle displacements and large shifts occur with large handle displacements. It will be remembered that this control also adjusts machine bed velocity; said velocity being proportional to control handle'position. The operator is thus able to position the cutter with respect to a part on the moving bed by moving the control small amounts more or less locally around the general control position corresponding to the particular velocity at command.

rhe position signal is derived from a capacitorv 36, in which the non-resonating velocity signal is differentiated. The velocity signal is la signal of varying voltage in which the voltage level varies directly with the velocity. To explain this, it may be noted that thev generator H will generate a voltage directly proportional to the velocity of hed movement, since each generator H is directly driven by its companion servo motor B which directly drives and thus determines the speed of movement of the bed. The position signal which is derived from the capacitor 36 is an instantaneous Vvoltage peak, appear- -ing simultaneously with the velocity signal, and is produced as the result of a rate of change of velocity corresponding to a rate of change of position of the manual control stick 35,1 and the combination of position and velocity signals, on the voltage gradient, will be a continuing succession of position indicatingpeaks disposed in succession along the velocity indicating sloping voltage curve. In this respect, the invention makes it possible to follow a contour to whatever degree of accuracy is possible through the facility of the human hand and eye in following or tracking a curve on a drawing or a template. To explain the effect of the control stick 35 more in detail, the command signaly generated by the stick is ak voltage level .signal governed by the stick posi- Aferent stick position. The bed operating servo motor B develops torque in proportion to the voltage of the signal developed by the stick 35 and accelerates in the same proportion, attempting to obtain full speed. As it thus accelerates toward the speed called for by the stick position,the velocity signal generator H develops a feedback voltage which is mixed with the kstick signal by a subtraction progress, in the modulator 29, and the resultant error signal is amplified in power amplifier 20 and ted through the servomotor as a modulated signal having the desired speed response in the operation of the machine toolbed.

The magnitude of the position signal is controlled by capacitor 36 and resistors 37, 38 and 39, the resistors 37 and 38 being embodied in a potentiometer and inversely variable with relation to one another by shifting the position of the potentiometer slider. This potentiometer includesja manually adjustable pre-setting device for setting the response characteristics of the differentiator. The adjustment -is useful in adjusting the diterentiator to the individual requirements of the operator, and has the effect of varying the response characteristics of the differentiator from sluggish to rapid response land vice versa. A switch 40 is provided as a connection between the input side of the amplier and the capacitor 36, for rendering Y the position signal developing dilerentiator inoperative when the system is not being used in a tracking operation. Before proceeding tothe next unit of the system, it

may be noted that, in the track-ing portion of the system,

there is provided a manual cont-rol for simultaneously setting up both a velocity signal and a position signal, the velocity signal corresponding generally to the velocity signal that is the -output'of the' numerical control unit D that is used in a non-tracking operation, andthe rposition signal beinga derivativeof the velocity signal yand superimposed upon the velocity signal indicating gradient or curve.

Photocell Counting Transducer Referring now to IFIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the transducer F comprises a base 41 which is secured to the fixed frame 42 of the machine tool, and a housing 43 having on one side a hinged connection 44 to the base 41 and on its other side an adjustable spring loaded connection comprising a bolt 45 and a coil spring 46 engaged under compression between the head of the bol-t 45 and an ear 47 projecting from the housing 43.

The .spring loading provided by parts `45 and 46 functions to provide for spring loaded .traction of one or more position reading rollers 48 against the side of bed A and to constantly maintain pressurized engagement of the lroller against the bed. A non-slipping engagement of the roller against the bed which is equivalent to a geared connection between the roller Iand the bed, is provided for by utilizing, for the roller, a permanent magnet of short cylinder form and of extremely high magnetic ilux density, such as Alnico or equivalent magnetic material.

Reading roller 48 is secured to a shaft 49 to which is secured a gear 50 meshing with a pinion 51 on a countershaft 52, these gears constituting a part of a gear train 53 which drives two units of mechanism, namely (l) a pulse-generating counting unit 54, hereinafter described in detail, and (2) a friction ydrive disc 55 of the direction indicator phasing switch which also will be described hereinafter.

Position signal pulse generating munten- FIGS 9, l and 1l illustrate the position signal generator which consists in a counting device using a photocell for registering and counting the series of light iiashes produced by interruption of light rays from Ia small diameter, elongated light source 56 (FIG. 9) which may be either a glow discharge lamp or a filament lamp of small diameter, elongated for-m disposed along the axis of a cylindrical housing 57 and adapted to radiate light beams lfrom said axis along the axial extent of a chamber dened within a cylindrical tubular interrupter rotor 58 which is rotatably mounted within the housing 57 and is driven by a shaft 59 coupled to the driven shaft 52 of the transducer gearing 53 through the hub of friction disc 55 (FIG. 6). Lamp 56 is. mounted at its base end in a lcap 60 on the opposite end of housing 57 from shaft 59, and extends through a central opening in the adjacent end of interrupter rotor 58.

vInterruptor rotor 58 has a transparent cylindrical lateral Wall through which the light rays from lamp 58 may pass to a series of photocells 61 which are mounted in a support 62 with their inner ends arranged in a helical path closely adjacent the outer surface of interrupter rotor 58. All photocells extend radially from said helical path as indicated in FIG. 10. The inner ends of photocells 61 are'in communication with rotor 58 through respective light transmitting apertures 64 (FIG. 1l) in the support `62 at the cylindrical inner surface thereof conforming to the periphery of rotor 58. Rotor '58 has a series of opaque interrupter bars 63 inlaid in or painted on its outer surface .at equally circumferentially spaced positions, all bars extending parallel to the rotor -axis and adapted to sweep -circumferentially, in succession, past the helical row of photocells 61 so as to drop the vol-tage level in each photocell as the respective aperture 64 is momentarily covered by the respective interrupter 63. The cylindrical inner surface of interrupter rotor 58 is reflective so as to concentrate a maximum intensity of light rays at the row of apertures 64, and the drop in the aggregate voltage level of the photocells resulting from the blocking of an aperture, is sucient to generate an electric pulse to which the system will respond. The total number of pulses per revolution will be the product of the number of photocells 61 and the number of inter rupter bars 63. The number of revolutions of the interrupter rotor 58 per revolution of follower roller 48 is so related to the circumference of the latter as to obtain one pulse for each .001 of an inch of linear traverse of the machine bed A past the transducer mechanism F.

As shown in FIG. 6, follower rollerd, shaft 49 and countershaft 52, gearing 53 and friction drive disc 5 5 are housed and journalled in the casing 43 and the counter 54 is carried by a supporting plate 65 which may be a cap on one end of housing 43. Y

Automatic phase switch (direction indicat0r).-FIGS. 12 and 13 disclose the phasing switch as a separate unit which can be driven either from the shaft 52 or the shaft 59 but preferably is installed within the transducer housing43, utilizing the friction disc 55 as its driving part. It embodies a casing 43 which preferably is the casing 43 of FIG. 6 and having a suitable bearing support, as shown, for the -shaft 52 which drives the disc S5. Pivoted at 66 to the casing 43", for rocking movement, is a switch actuator lever 67 which, at its swinging end, carries a shoe 63 which bears, with frictional engagement, against the ilat end face of friction disc 55. The lever 67 may be resilient and is arranged to support the shoe `68 in magnetic engagement with the friction disc 55 with a tenacious engagement suiiicient to assure immediate response to any change in direction of disc 55 followed by slipping engagement therewith as a limit position is reached, Shoe 5S is a permanent magnet to provide the desired tenacious engagement with disc 55. Lever 67 has a small amplitude of -swing between limit positions determined by a pair of stopscrews 69, threaded through suitable mounting parts in casing 43 and adjustable to vary said limit positions. A iinger 71 on the swinging tip of lever 67 is disposed between the stop screws 69, 79 and upon moving into engagement with the screw 7G, permits the lever 67 to actuate a reversing switch 72 mounted in casing 43', shifting the switch from one to another of two `alternate positions, in one of which it is adapted to trans- :mit a forward movement indicating signal and in the other of which it is adapted -to transmit a reverse movement indicating signal.

Referring now to FIG. 14, wherein the transducer unit F is shown schematically, the reversing switch 72 embodies a moving contact 73, spring loaded to one of its two positions as indicated, and adapted to be moved to its alternate position in response to the shifting of lever 67. The switch further embodies a pair of fixed contacts for the respective forward and reverse signals, in-

dicated at f and r respectively. The moving contact 73 is constantly connected to a-part of the system, indicated at g, where a reference voltage level intermediate the upper and lower voltage levels of the respective forward and reverse indicating pulses, is maintained. These pulses, indicated in ydiagram at fp and rp respectively, are fashioned by the action of reversing switch 72 upon an incoming series of pulses, indicated in diagram at op, which is generated as a response to transducer unit F at each momentary drop in voltage therein by the blocking of a photocell. FIG. 14 at vd as a square wave modulation of a 100 volt positive potential designated +100 v., applied to the photocell 61 through a commonconnection as the output of transducer unit F. The square waves ve are converted into pulses opy by being differentiated by a dii'ferentiator 75, including series connected v capacitor 76, resistor connection 77 to the reference voltage level, and resistor 7S on the output side thereof. As indicated by the diagram, the incoming pulses op consist of pai-rs'of voltage peaks of opposite polarity with respect to the reference voltage level, and these voltage peaks are delivered by the diiferentiator to the feedback connection 22 of FIG. 3, past a pair of diode rectiiiers 79 and 8i) which provide shunt connections to the reference voltage level g and operate to clamp to ground one or the other of the opposite voltage peaks of the incoming pulses op, thereby converting each pulse op to a unidirectional pulse The voltage drop is indicated inV aovayas fp or rp by draining olf and eliminating one peak or the other from pulse op.

The counter of transducer F is shown schematically in FIG. 14, lthe several photocells being indicated atei" as a 4series of conductive connections to the reference level g in a commutator-like arrangement corresponding displacement of the control knob. During any -stage'of such operation,` the operator will monitor the operation by yreferenceV to the visual indicators I (indicating speed of operation) and G (indicating the extent of movement Y along a particular axis). For example, for a straight cut parallel to the X .axis will be actuated until the distance to the combination of interrupter rotor 53 'and photocells y 61 of FIGS. 9-11, functioning to momentarily drop the Voltage appliedto the dierentiator 75 by voltage sourcey oped in the pulses fp and rp are compared to the voltage deviations of the pulses fed into the network 4from the input connection e from the tape recorder, and areofV inverse polarity relation to the tape recorder pulses so as to exactly cancel, in the storing integrator 26, stored pulses corresponding to the control pulses coming from the transducer F, dropping the voltage level in the storage integrator 26 an amount corresponding to each cancelled pulse.

Control apparatus Dl-Opemton of System Numerical COntroL-T'he numerical control mechanism y, ycomprises, three separate units, one of which is scheymatically"illustrated in FIG. 2, for controlling movements respectively on. the X, Y and Z axes. Each of these control units has a control knob 18%l which is connected i to the slider of a potentiometer 81 constituting the output side of a variable center-tapped transformer 82 having a 60 cycle alternating current input indicated at 60W.

The transformer 82 is further characterized by a double.

lslider and Wheatstone bridge arrangement such that, at a median 4or 'centered position of control knob 8), the alternating currents of opposite phase in the respective sides thereof will have a nulling eiect resulting in zero output, whereas a movement of the slider mechanism to one side of the null point will deliver an alternating output current of one phase and of intensity depending upon the extent of displacement of the control knob from the null position, and, upon movement Aof the control knob tothe other side of the null position, delivering an alternating current of opposite phase and of intensity varying directly with the extent of -displacement of the control knobv from the null point. This alternating output of the transformer 82, indicated at A.C. in FIG. 2, is fed into the power amplifier 20 through connection 19 and the output A C. ofthe latter, having the same phase but of amplified intensity, is fed-to the servomotor B, which is a reversible` motor, and Yoperates the latter in one direction or the other depending upon its phase.

The response to the knob 180 is purely a velocity response without any position indication in the A.C. voltage signal. The feed-back velocity control signal coming from generator H and fed through modulator Z9, adjusts the speed by being fed through modulator 29 into power amplifier 20 and .mixed with the signalffrom knob 180 to effect operation at the speed called for by the position of knob 180, ina manner similar to the above described velocity control in connection with operation of manual control stick 35.

Servomotor B will respond, running at a speed rcorre-L knob 80 is in effect a velocity control, continuing so long as the controlknob is displaced and stopping when the control knob is returned -to its null position, the total elapsed time for any stage of operation depending upon 'the speed of operation as determined by theY extent of specified by blueprints or other directions has been traversed. Assuming that a horizontal transverse cut is then 'to be made, the control knob for the Y axis will be actuated until Vthe speciiied length of transverse cut has been'executed. Thus the machining of a prototype, following a dimensioned drawing or equivalent data, is effected by numerical monitoring control using primarily the numerical readout G.

Slopng cut, etc., control-For a sloping cut in a straight line on a specified gradient (eg. a specified angle vintermediate-the X and Y axes) the invention provides one or more multiturn potentiometers to be used in lieu of the potentiometer 81 shown in FIG. 2.A Such a multiturn Vpotentiometer is connected into the control circuits 19 of any selected two axes (eg. the X and Y axes). The respective turns of this potentiometer are arranged to control their respective servomotors at velocity rates vwhich are related to one another in a selected ratio ying on av 1:1 ratio may be provided vwith means for mechanically or electrically varying such ratio in an intinite number of changes so that its control eiect will provide for variably controlling a pair of servomotors B at any lselected ratio of respective velocities .to attain any selected gradient of cut.

Since the use of `a multiturn potentiometer, in effect, entails only the coupling of two of the potentiometers S1 for operation in unison, illustration thereof is omitted from the drawings in the interest of simplicity.

For controlling a pair of servomotors B with a constantly varying ratio between their respective velocities of operation, the invention further provides for making radii cuts of circularly curved contour, using a sine-v cosine potentiometer for controlling the two servomotors in a manner broadly analogous to the joint control of two servomotors by the multiturn potentiometer. For remote indicationrof slope and radius dimensions, the longitudinal and traverse offset readings are used as a check in the operators monitoring operation.

Template-following contrat- The template-following v control stickv 35 is .a two-directional control arranged to simultaneously operate the sliders of a pair of

potentiometers

85 and 85 respectively, the control stick 35 having a universal movement which may be similar to that of the gear shift lever rof an automobile transmission. Movement of the lever in one plane will be utilized to control movement of bed A on the X axis, as by operating the slider of potentiometer 85, whereas movement 1n a plane at Vright angles thereto may behutilized to actua'te the potentiometer S5'` to control bed movement along the Y axis. Thus it becomes possible by moving the control stick 3 5 along a path corresponding to a drawing or template contour to be followed, to .jointly operate both potentiometers in a manner to reproduce, in the yprototype part, the contour being tracked by the control knob 35.

The potentiometers 85 and 85' control the level of -D.C, voltage coming from a suitable D.C. supply, the

kments of movement of the lever 35 .along either the lX or Y axis (and the respectiveKX and Y components of the movement in a diagonal direction) are registered by the respective tracking amplifiers 28, connected to the respective potentiometers 85 and 85', as instantaneous voltage increases resulting in the position indicating peaks hereinbefore referred to in the description of FIG. 5.

We claim:

l. Programming apparatus for an automatic control system Yfor a machine tool having a bed, comprising, in combination: a plurality of servomotors for moving said bed on respective axes; a corresponding plurality of manual controllers for generating electric signals for controlling the respective servomotors with a velocity response having a magnitude determined by the position ot the respective manual controller generating the signal; a corresponding plurality of position signal generating transducers driven by movements of said bed on the respective axes; digital position indicators responding to the signals generated by the respective transducers, for monitoring the operation of said servomotors in the machining of a prototype work article; means responding to said transducers to record ,and reproduce said transducer generated signals; respective storing integrators each responsive to a respective series of reproduced signals to develop and store a staircase voltage; meansA responding to said staircase voltage to control the transmission from a power source of power signals for operating said servomotors in a facsimile reproducing operation; and means for feeding back to said integrator, new position indicating signals generated by a respective transducer, for reducing said staircase voltage in proportion to the extent of bed movement, whereby the speed of response of said bed to the stored signals is independent of the speed of reception of reproduced signals.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim l, including a plurality of direction signal generating devices each responsive to directional change of movement of said bed on a respective anis arranged to impart a directional characteristic to each position indicating signal generated by the respective transducer; and aplurality of fiip-flop networks triggered by said directional characteristics, for directionally transmitting reproduced signals to respective integrators in accordance with their respective directional characteristics.

3. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a machine tool having a bed, in the machining of a prototype and the reproduction of facsimiles of said prototype, in response to manually developed prototype machining control signals and signals recorded on a record medium, in combinationz-a plurality of servomotors for moving said bed on respective axes; a corresponding plurality of position feed-back signal generating transducers driven by movements of said bed on respective axes; means to record, store and reproduce said recorded signals; manually controlled means to generate voltagelevel, velocity indicative original signals for controlling the machine of a prototype; respective storing integrators each responsive to a respective series of either original or reproduced signals to develop and store a staircase voltage; electrical means responding to said staircase voltage to control the transmission from a power source of power signals for directly operating said servomotors in prototype machining and facsimile reproducing operations; and means for feeding back to said integrators, new position indicating signals generated by respective transducers, for reducing said staircase voltages in proportion to the extent of hed movement, whereby the speed of response of said bed to the stored signals is independent of the speed of reception of reproduced signals.

4. A control system as defined in claim 3, wherein said staircase voltage responsive means includes an A.C. power amplifier, and a modulator constantly subjected to an alternating reference voltage and operating as a valve in response to said staircase voltage to feed said reference signals.

5. A control system as defined in claim 4, including a voltage amplifier interposed between said integrator and said modulator and responding directly to said staircase voltage to actuate said modulator.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, including means for converting said voltage amplifier into a differentiating amplifier for superimposing a position-indicating pulse on a velocity indicating staircase voltage.

7. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a machine tool having a bed, in the reproduction of facsimiles of a previously machined prototype, in response to signals recorded on a record medium, in combination: a plurality of speed-controllable servomotors for moving said bed on respective axes; a corresponding plurality of position signal generating feed-back transducers driven by movements of said bed on respective axes; a plurality of direction signal generating devices each responsive to directional change of movement of said bed on a respective axis, arranged to impart a directional characteristic to each position indicating signal generated by a respective transducer; a plurality of flipfiop networks, triggered by said directional characteristics, for dircctionally transmitting reproduced signals; means for reproducing stored signals; respective storing integrators each responsive to a respective series of reproduced signals transmitted through a respective fiip-op network to develop and store a staircase voltage indicating both position and direction; means responding to said staircase voltage and to backfeed signals delivered from said transducers, directly to control the transmission from the power source of power signals for directly operating said servomotors directionally in a facsimile reproducing operation; and means for feeding back to said integrator, new directional and position indicating signals generated by a respective transducer, for reducing said staircase voltage in proportion to the extent of bed movement, whereby the speed of response of said bed to the stored signals is independent of the speed of reception of rcproduced signals. A

8. A control system as defined in claim 7, wherein said transducers are each in the form of a counter comprising an elongated light source; a plurality of photocells arranged in a helical path with reference to the longitudinal axis of said light source; and a cylindrical interrupter rotor enclosing said light source and rotated by said reading roller, said cylinder including alternating light transmitting areas and opaque light beam interrupting bars extending longitudinally thereof in circumferentially alternating arrangement, said light transmitting areas and beam interrupting bars sweeping past said photocells so as to sequentially shade said photocells from said light beam in succession so as to produce a large number of voltage-drop pulses for each rotation of said rotor.

9. Programming apparatus for an `automatic control system for a machine tool having a bed, comprising, in combination: a plurality of servomotors for moving said bed on respective axes; a corresponding plurality of manual controllers for generating electric signals for controlling the respective servomotors with a velocity response having a magnitude determined by the position of the respective manual controller generating the signal; velocity signal generator means operating in timed relation to the respective servomotors tor mixing with said manually generated signals, velocity signals indicative of the speed of servomotor operation, whereby to create an error-signal for regulating the velocity'response of said servomotors to said manual signal generating means; a plurality of position signal generating transducers, one for each of said servomotors, driven respectively by movements of said bed on the respective axes; and digital position indicators responding to the signals generated by the respective transducers and visually indicating to an operator the distances moved by said bed along its respective axes, for monitoring individually the 'operafor subsequent usein reproducing facsimiles of said protions of said servomotors in movingrsaid bed along the totype article. v respective axes in the machining of a prototype work l article, whereby said prototype article can be developed References Clfed 111 the file 0f thlS Patent under full manual control by reference to instructional 5 y UNITED STATES PATENTS Y data.

l0. Apparatus as defined in claim 9, in combination ISlVmgSton et a1' "Iln' 59' with means responsive to said velocity responsive and 2782348 Lili; "Feb 619 1957 posltlon signals for recordlng said signals on a record 2,843,811 Tripp July 15 1958 2,882,476 Wetzel Apr. 14, 1959

Claims

7. AN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A MACHINE TOOL HAVING A BED, IN THE REPRODUCTION OF FACSIMILES OF A PREVIOUSLY MACHINED PROTOTYPE, IN RESPONSE TO SIGNALS RECORDED ON A RECORD MEDIUM, IN COMBINATION: A PLURALITY OF SPEED-CONTROLLABLE SERVOMOTORS FOR MOVING SAID BED ON RESPECTIVE AXES; A CORRESPONDING PLURALITY OF POSITION SIGNAL GENERATING FEED-BACK TRANSDUCERS DRIVEN BY MOVEMENTS OF SAID BED ON RESPECTIVE AXES; A PLURALITY OF DIRECTION SIGNAL GENERATING DEVICES EACH RESPONSIVE TO DIRECTIONAL CHANGE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID BED ON A RESPECTIVE AXIS, ARRANGED TO IMPART A DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTIC TO EACH POSITION INDICATING SIGNAL GENERATED BY A RESPECTIVE TRANSDUCER; A PLURALITY OF FLIPFLOP NETWORKS, TRIGGERED BY SAID DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS, FOR DIRECTIONALLY TRANSMITTING REPRODUCED SIGNALS; MEANS FOR REPRODUCING STORED SIGNALS; RESPECTIVE STORING INTEGRATORS EACH RESPONSIVE TO A RESPECTIVE SERIES OF REPRODUCED SIGNALS TRANSMITTED THROUGH A RESPECTIVE FLIP-FLOP NETWORK TO DEVELOP AND STORE A STAIRCASE VOLTAGE INDICATING BOTH POSITION AND DIRECTION; MEANS RESPONDING TO SAID STAIRCASE VOLTAGE AND TO BACK-FEED SIGNALS DELIVERED FROM SAID TRANSDUCERS, DIRECTLY TO CONTROL THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE POWER SOURCE OF POWER SIGNALS FOR DIRECTLY OPERATING SAID SERVOMOTORS DIRECTIONALLY IN A FACSIMILE REPRODUCING OPERATION; AND MEANS FOR FEEDING BACK TO SAID INTEGRATOR, NEW DIRECTIONAL AND POSITION INDICATING SIGNALS GENERATED BY A RESPECTIVE TRANSDUCER, FOR REDUCING SAID STAIRCASE VOLTAGE IN PROPORTION TO THE EXTENT OF BED MOVEMENT, WHEREBY THE SPEED OF RESPONSE OF SAID BED TO THE STORED SIGNALS IS INDEPENDENT OF THE SPEED OF RECEPTION OF REPRODUCED SIGNALS.